The Department of Justice on Tuesday said the state of Georgia's system cannot check drivers license information and Social Security numbers to prove that prospective voters are U.S. citizens.

Georgias voters have an entirely different perspective. Rasmussen Reports polling conducted during Election 2008 found that 77% said prospective voters should first be required to show a legal photo ID first.

Georgias voters also held that view two years earlier despite a state judges ruling that a new law requiring a photo ID at the polls was a violation of the state constitution.

Nationally, three-out-of-four U.S. voters (76%) said a person should be required to show photo identification at the polls before being allowed to vote.

While the Justice Department expressed concern that photo ID requirements might disenfranchise some voters, a plurality of voters nationwide have the opposite concern. Forty-two percent (42%) believe it is more common for people to vote illegally than it is for legal voters to be denied that right. Thirty-three percent (33%) disagree and say it is more likely that people are prevented from voting who should be allowed to do so.

The state of Georgia complains the latest Justice Department action will allow non-citizens to vote, but the Justice Department said the states system discriminated against minority voters. The ACLU and the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund (MALDEF) have sued the state over the law.

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates also available on Twitter.

Views on the need for photo ID before voting have held constant for years. Polling in both 2007 and 2006, to found that Americans overwhelmingly requirements for photo identification.

This is the second time this year the Justice Department has made headlines bucking popular local actions that it fears might violate minority rights. In March, 68% of Arizona voters had a favorable view of Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, whose aggressive enforcement of laws against illegal immigration triggered an investigation by the Justice Department.

Please sign up for the Rasmussen Reports daily e-mail update (its free) let us keep you up to date with the latest public opinion news.

The Democrats Are Already Winning the 2010 Elections  Which Is What Happens When the Justice Department Is REALLY Politicized [Andy McCarthy]

Never a dull moment with the Justice Department of Eric Holder, aka “the right man at the right time to protect our citizens in the critical years ahead.”

In fact, it would be more accurate to say he’s the right man at the right time to protect our non-citizens in the critical years ahead. Unbelievably (or, perhaps, entirely too believably), Holder has told Georgia that it may no longer verify identification in order to ensure that voting is done only by citizens eligible to vote. The AP reports:

ATLANTA  The Justice Department has rejected Georgia’s system of using Social Security numbers and driver’s license data to check whether prospective voters are citizens, a process that was a subject of a federal lawsuit in the weeks leading up to November’s election.

In a letter released on Monday, the Justice Department said the state’s voter verification program is frequently inaccurate and has a “discriminatory effect” on minority voters. The decision means Georgia must halt the citizenship checks, although the state can still ask the Justice Department to reconsider, according to the letter and to the Georgia secretary of state’s office.

“This flawed system frequently subjects a disproportionate number of African-American, Asian and/or Hispanic voters to additional, and more importantly, erroneous burdens on the right to register to vote,” Loretta King, acting assistant attorney general of the Justice Department’s civil rights division, said. King’s letter was sent to Georgia Attorney General Thurbert Baker on Friday.

Georgia is required to seek DOJ approval before implementing voting protocols because of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (see George Will here and Roger Clegg here). Quite apart from the fact that the VRA is an anachronism in modern America, is there not something perverse about cancelling out the votes of eligible citizens  the inevitable result of permitting ineligible citizens and non-citizens to vote, as DOJ is effectively forcing Georgia to do here  under the auspices of something called the “Voting Rights Act”?

The decision by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to deny preclearance of Georgias already implemented citizenship verification process shows a shocking disregard for the integrity of our elections. With this decision, DOJ has now barred Georgia from continuing the citizenship verification program that DOJ lawyers helped to craft. DOJs decision also nullifies the orders of two federal courts directing Georgia to implement the procedure for the 2008 general election. The decision comes seven months after Georgia requested an expedited review of the preclearance submission.

DOJ has thrown open the door for activist organizations such as ACORN to register non-citizens to vote in Georgias elections, and the state has no ability to verify an applicants citizenship status or whether the individual even exists. DOJ completely disregarded Georgias obvious and direct interest in preventing non-citizens from voting, instead siding with the ACLU and MALDEF. Clearly, politics took priority over common sense and good public policy.

Handel’s letter demonstrates the absurdity of the claims by DOJ’s Civil Rights Division of undue burdens simple verification  i.e., the process airport security personnel put you through if you want to get on an airplane and Amtrak randomly puts you through to get on a train  imposes on minority voters:

It is important to underscore that not a single person has come forward to say he or she could not vote because of the verification process. Further, while DOJ argues that the process is somehow discriminatory, the historic voter turnout among Hispanic and African-American voters in the 2008 general elections clearly says otherwise.

This outrage does not happen in a vacuum. It comes on the heels of the Civil Rights Division’s astounding dismissal of the slam-dunk voter intimidation case against members of the New Black Panther Party in Philadelphia (a case in which the Justice Department surrendered after it had already won), and Justice’s blatant undermining of a federal law that commands states to purge their voter registration lists of ineligible voters (e.g., citizens who have died or moved out of state) in order to minimize opportunities for fraud. (See Hans von Spakovsky’s incisive work on these issues, here and here). At the same time the Justice Department is busy preserving the infrastructure of fraud, congressional Democrats are filling the overflowing coffers of the notorious voter-fraud practitioners at ACORN  longtime allies of President Obama.

No need to wait another 18 months: We are losing the 2010 election right now.

06/03 10:30 AMShare

11
posted on 06/03/2009 8:54:39 AM PDT
by roses of sharon
(We must get a grip on what we can, and hold on. Hold on with energy, imagination, and ferocity)

Hey, if they can dismiss the lawsuit against those 3 black panthers, then here is the blueprint for 2010: Get everyone who wants to to wear jumpsuits with big letters on it: I N S ! If you are caught just say that it would be discrimination on clothing preference and that you’ll file a lawsuit if they try to press charges! Time to “go to the mattresses”

Can you imagine what the independence-minded Georgians of Revolutionary War times would say about the wusses currently populating state offices?
The federal government is breaking contract laws every day in taking over private businesses and voiding contracts and bankruptcy laws. Why should the states continue to let such a gaggle of tyrants over-ride what 77% of their citizens feel is necessary to guard their right to free and fair elections?
It’s time the Tenth Amendment is exercised.

Texas dims did us in again. I got this in an email from one of my coworkers yesterday.

This session officially ends on Monday, June 1st, and the last seven days have proven eventful. The House Democrat Caucus filibustered on the House floor for five days straight, bringing all activity to a standstill. These members delayed business on the House floor by talking about butterflies, cold remedies, Christmas trees, and other irrelevant issues.

There was a deadline Tuesday at midnight for bills and the Democrats were so unwilling to vote on a bill that would require Texans to show photo identification to vote that they filibustered hundreds of other bills in order to keep the Voter ID bill from even being debated. Sadly, we were also unable to address bills which could have reduced property taxes, combat illegal immigration and given price reductions to consumers for insurance and utility costs. Although it is important that legislators vigorously fight to protect the values of their constituents, I do not believe it is right to avoid debating an issue. This undermines the democratic process. I also do no believe that this action truly represented the will of the citizens of Texas.

This session did yield positive news for those of us supporting smaller government and less deficit spending, better schools and less taxation and regulation. For example, Texas remains one of only six states without a deficit. In this troubled economic time Im proud that Texas has the strongest economy in the nation and the top cities in the U.S. for job creation.

The Legislature also ensured that the state budget remained both balanced and smaller than the rate of population growth or inflation compared to the last session, with an impressive 1.9 percent decrease in the spending of taxpayer dollars. Additionally, we rejected of some of Washingtons so-called stimulus money that would have created a perpetual drain on our economy and increased the tax burden for all residents for years to come. Through the passage of the appropriations bill, current state employees will receive $800 in supplemental pay while, Texas retired teachers will receive an $500 check, subject to a ruling of constitutionality by the Attorney General.

Job creation, improving the quality of our public schools, transparency of state government and a balanced budget will continue to remain some of my top priorities.

27
posted on 06/03/2009 9:14:27 AM PDT
by Arrowhead1952
(Jimmy Carter - now the second worst POTUS ever. BHO has #1 spot in his sights.)

it just doesn’t matter what the majority wants anymore....its what the minority wants so they aren’t discrimanated against....when i went to school we were taught that rules and laws were made up in society reflecting the will of the majority not the monority...this countrys lawmakers have lost their minds...

If Georgia's population and legislature created the state Constitution do they not have sole power to amend it? Why would anyone in GA allow the US Justice department to declare a state matter “unconstitutional” at the state level? I thought only the States’ courts could do that (and only if suit was bought challenging an issue)? If someone didn't agree with the SCOGA, then they could file a case with the US courts etc.

Administrative Activism at its best (not one person at DOJ is an elected official).

Is the rule of Law over? More folks need to read Thomas Paine et al. GA legislature (the people)need to clearly tell DOJ to mind their own business.

a bit of irony is that we send troops to other nations to ensure they are free to vote in a fair election without persecution and here in our own country we can not get a fair election for our own legal citizens....it is time for this the people to take a firm stand and take this country back even if it means by force....like others have said, they work for us yet they vote themselves payraises, pensions for life etc etc and laugh in our faces...wake up America!!!

Other than complain and vote, I am at a loss at what to do.
Below is a copy of the e-mail I just sent to good ol’ Saxby.
It’s token but at least he knows one more VOTER is paying attention.

Mr. Chambliss,

SPECIFICALLY, what actions are you taking on behalf of Georgia’s citizens to insure the integrity of our votes?

The DOJ’s recent ruling that Georgia cannot require proof of citizenship dilutes my vote and the vote of
every single legal citizen in the state of Georgia; not to mention the impact on election results for national office.

Please don’t respond with platitudes and generalities. I want to know specific, detailed actions/meetings/
letters/conversations etc. in which you are involved to protect my vote in light of Eric Holder’s recent ruling

“Can you imagine what the independence-minded Georgians of Revolutionary War times would say about the wusses currently populating state offices?”

I’m sure they are rolling over in their graves as we speak. This country does not have that spirit anymore. We are soft, we have been trained to accept whatever Washington D.C. says anymore without question. This is the result of decades of dumbed down public schools. It’s created a few generations of sheep who look to whomever is in power to guide them around the pasture.

35
posted on 06/03/2009 10:05:21 AM PDT
by MissouriConservative
(Let the purging of the RINOs begin in 2010. - MissouriConservative)

For example, Texas remains one of only six states without a deficit. In this troubled economic time Im proud that Texas has the strongest economy in the nation and the top cities in the U.S. for job creation.

Amen!

- - - - - - - -

Although it is important that legislators vigorously fight to protect the values of their constituents, I do not believe it is right to avoid debating an issue. This undermines the democratic process. I also do no believe that this action truly represented the will of the citizens of Texas.

Democraps are DANGEROUS when they HAVE or are out of POWER!

POWER is what it's all about for them. Constituents desires be dam*ed !!

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